The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) is a programme that the
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and o ...
has run since 1992. IPEC's aim is to work towards the progressive elimination of
child labour
Child labour refers to the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and is mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful. Such e ...
by strengthening national capacities to address child labour problems, and by creating a worldwide movement to combat it.
About
IPEC's priority target groups are children in
worst forms of child labour such as
slavery
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
and practices similar to slavery, such as
bonded child labour and children in hazardous
working conditions {{Short description, 1=Overview of and topical guide to working time and conditions
This is a list of topics on working time and conditions.
Legislation
* See :Employment law
Working time
* See :Working time
* Flextime
Working conditions
* Bios ...
and occupations. IPEC also focuses on children who are particularly vulnerable, i.e. very young working children (below 12 years of age), and working girl children.
The political will and commitment of individual governments to address child labour in cooperation with employers' and workers' organizations, other
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in ...
s and relevant parties in society – such as universities and the media – is the starting point for all IPEC action.
Sustainability
Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livi ...
is built in from the start through an emphasis on in-country "ownership". Support is given to partner organizations to develop and implement measures which aim at preventing child labour, withdrawing children from hazardous work and providing alternatives, and improving the working conditions as a transitional measure towards the elimination of child labour.
Strategy
A phased and multi-sectoral strategy is applied consisting of the following steps:
*Motivating an alliance of partners to acknowledge and act against child labour.
*Carrying out a situational analysis to find out about child labour problems in a country.
*Assisting with developing and implementing national policies on child labour problems.
*Strengthening existing organizations and setting up institutional mechanisms.
*Creating awareness on the problem nationwide, in communities and workplaces.
*Promoting the development and application of protective legislation.
*Supporting direct action with (potential) child workers for demonstration purposes, including
Time-bound Programmes to address
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention.
*Replicating and expanding successful projects into the programmes of partners.
*Mainstreaming child labour issues into socio-economic policies, programmes and budgets.
See also
*
Children's rights movement
*
Evolving capacities
*
World Day Against Child Labour
The World Day Against Child Labour is an International Labour Organization (ILO)-sanctioned holiday first launched in 2002 aiming to raise awareness and activism to prevent child labour. It was spurred by ratifications of ILO Convention No. 138 ...
*
Worst Forms of Hazards faced by Children at Work
External links
IPEC Home Page
Programme on the Elimination of Child Labor
Child labour-related organizations
Organizations established in 1992